The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1887-07-27

day OF misfortune, are invited to bring
their supper to Oak Grove on Thurs
day afternoon at five o'clock and talk
the matter up over neighborly cup
of tea"
AT the time appointed l had a car
riage come to take my hostess and me,
and my basket of cakes and buns from
the bakery, to the beautiful grove. AS
we were driven along | was surprised
to see so many people, lunchbaskets
in hand, going in the same direction.
" Almost everybody in town is going
high an low, rich an poor" said Mrs.
Evans.
AS / was being assisted to seat, a
gentle, motherly little woman spread
soft shawl over the back of the chair
intended for me, and quickly folded
another for my lame foot to rest upon.
"This is Auntie Lee" said Mrs.
Evans, and the sweet-faced little
woman and | looked into each others
faces with little curiosity and shook
hands cordially.
% don't know what all these good
people are to do with Elijah and me-"
she said, with smile that was as genial
as a sunbeam; I" but the minister
would have us come, and he and his
wife drove around for U.S.
The minister assembled the platform
Just then, and after tenderly, yet i'm
pressively, invoking the divine bless
ing, he looked benignly down on the
upturned faces and with a touching in
tonation of voice asked: Who is
my neighbour" He then went on:
when first became acquainted with
Mr.. and Mrs. Elijah Lee,n he said, 81
was finishing my theological studies
here in the village with DR.. Mills, and
they had just married and settled down
in their little house yonder, which they
preach on trial in the adjoining town of
LuXboro. My only coat was worn
threadbare and extensively patched,
and had no way of procuring another.
Feeling sorely grieved and dispirited, l
started out for walk, and for the sake
of telling my troubles to some fellow
creature, and with no thought of re-
ceiving any aid in the premises, l
turned into Mrs. Lees house, and read
to her the invitation and frankly told
her why 1 could not go at present.
GO Leave il to the Lord said the good
woman, and forthwith she began to
take my measure with piece of tape.
Go home,' she continued, write
your sermon and come again Saturday,
81 obeyed. l subsequently found
that the woman had actually taken
piece of cloth that she had laid by in
the house for cloak for herself and,
tailoress as she was by trade, had cut
coat from it. preached my first SER
mon in it, and shortly received call"
ooh DEAR" whispered Auntie Lee
from her seat by my side, he's paid
me for that coat every New Years day
since, and it wasn't much for me to do,
after all"
Major Sanford, the richest man in
town, was the next to take the stand.
The old people smiled and nodded their
heads, but the young folks looked at
each other and wondered what he could
be indebted to Auntie Lee for.
When was boy" the major be-
gan, I" | was bound out in H to
very bad master, from whom | deter
mined to run away. l availed myself
of an opportunity to escape one Satur-
day afternoon when l was sent to the
pasture to salt the cattle. l came
straight over the mountain to this
place. l wanted to get out of the state
as soon as possible, so came directly to
the bridge down here at the river,
which is, you all know, the New Hamp-
shire boundary. Just as l stepped upon
Vermont soil | overlook on the road Mr..
and Mrs. Lee, young people then. They
had basket and spade, and had been
digging up wild flowers to transplant
in their garden. Although an entire
stranger, they accosted me kindly.
Noticing that had been crying, Mrs.
Lee asked me my trouble. Before l
knew it | had blurted out the whole
story, and had been invited by them to
90 home with them and stay over Sun
day. | was of course only too grateful
to accept the invitation. After supper
we set out the plants, and then Mr..
Lee took me with him down the hill to
the bank of the brook as he called
it then, and into his little machine-shop.
l soon evinced my fondness for tools
and confided to him an invention that
had, in crude form, long had possess
sion of my brain. Being a natural me-
chanic, he saw the utility of my inven-
ton at glance. The subject was not
mentioned on the morrow, which was
a quiet, restful day to me. Mrs. Lee
loaned me a clean linen suit belonging
to her husband, and / went to church
with them. The next day Mr.. Lee
went over to H and made terms
with my master, because Mrs. Lee said
that she could not allow me to feel like
runaway Then Mr.. Lee took me
into his employment and gave me
corner in his shop where could at odd
moments work at my model. My in
vention proved success and made
my fortune, as you all know. | am
thankful, my friends, that | am able to
repair the damages done to the dear
old homestead and to rebuild my old
friends shop"
And Major Sanford sat down wiping
his eyes with his handkerchief, while
his audience applauded him most vo-
ciferously.
Dear heart" said Auntie Lee to
me, "what was he talking about? He's
paid me over and over, and he's tried
to make Elijah 90 into partnership with
him, but he wouldn't, and would not
let him."
Then followed one-minute speeches
by the score.
"They kept me three months when
| was sick and homeless" said one.
| mazda thair honca ,,,x, hopoa Gov.